I'm not giving up on you
by Dellinah
Summary: Tadashi is in coma after the fire. Hiro is the only one who goes see him everyday, hoping for him to come back. After three months, when everything seemed to be lost, he was sure of one thing: He was not giving up on his brother. Alive!Tadashi and sightly AU. One-Shot. (PS: Thanks TheWritress002's suggestion for the title).


**This is somehow a sequel to my first Big Hero 6 fic "Yes, I remember". You don't have to read that to understand this, but would be good for you to understand the reference at the end. My first story gained more favourites than I could ever imagine it would, so I would like to thank you for that. Anyways, I hope you enjoy.**

**In case you're confused, in this story Tadashi wasn't inside the building when it exploded, he was just really close to it. Not enough to burn him to death right away.**

**That being said, enjoy!**

* * *

Hiro walked through the hallways like he was the last person in the world; each step he gave would sound like a soldier going to the war. Everyone there knew him and they knew exactly what he was going to do. Some people tried to show some empathy by smiling or waving at him, the more audacious ones dared to try to talk to him, but it was always useless. He stared blankly ahead, his hands inside his pockets. If he was in an extremely good mood, he would look at the person and give a shy nod, but only that.

He finally reached the third floor. All the conversations stopped when he entered the room. People looked at their feet and avoided eye contact, some of them tried to smile at Hiro, only to have him ignoring them like always. He approached the balcony and lifted his eyes from the ground, looking at the brunette girl who held some papers on her hand.

"Hiro," the secretary forced a smile when her eye caught the boy, "how are you today?"

He did nothing but sigh and blink in response, shrugging.

"I guess you already know your way. You can go there..."

He nodded sharply and started walking toward the third door, that would lead to the second hallway and then he would go to the room number 142. He knew that path so well he could do it with his eyes closed. His hand was on the knob, but before he could turn it and walk away, he heard the secretary call from behind.

"Hiro... I'm really sorry. If I could do anything to help... I would."

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before finally turning the knob and entering the hallway, never turning around to look at her. He didn't bother to close the door, but the secretary didn't mind. Had it been any other person, she would have asked them to come back and close the door. But when it was Hiro, she didn't mind having to stand up and close it herself. She watched him as he walked away before closing the door.

* * *

He entered the room and closed the door, just like he had been doing every day for the last three months.

There he was.

It didn't matter how hard Hiro tried to be brave. It didn't matter if he went through that every day. That scene would never get any less painful to see.

Tadashi.

He was lying on the hospital bed, a lot of beeping machines by his side; attached to his body through a lot of cables. The oxygen tube on his mouth made a loud noise every time the air went in and out. He was on the very same position; for he couldn't move at all in coma. Hiro wanted to grab him by his shoulders and shake him until he woke up. He wanted to make Tadashi open his eyes and he wanted to hear the doctors saying he would be alright.

A part of him was expecting that to happen someday.

The other part was like a shadow, trying to convince him that was never going to happen. Because deep inside, he knew it wouldn't.

"Tadashi", he called. Hiro stood there, waiting for an answer. He would do the same thing every single day, and everyday his heart started to beat faster as he waited. And waited. Sometimes he would stand there in silence for over an hour before finally sighing and sitting down on the chair by the bed's side, acknowledging that his brother would not answer.

_Not yet_, he thought.

He slouched over the desk, his head propped up by his hand as he stared at his brother.

"You know, you never told me college was so hard. I have to bring my work here if I want to finish everything. It's been quite hard, but I won't stop coming. I know you can wake up. I know you _will _wake up, Tadashi. You have been through so much, you won't let a little fire win, will you?" he forced a chuckle, but then he frowned "You know... People told me I should stop coming. Even Aunt Cass. And your friends. They're eventually... Letting you go. They still come sometimes, but... They're accepting it. And they want me to do it."

He sat up, straightening himself up.

"But you're _not _dead, Tadashi. You're breathing, your heart is beating, and I'm sure you can hear me. You can hear me, right?"

Hiro stared at his brother, again waiting for an answer. He caressed Tadashi's hand with his, feeling his skin.

"You're cold. Here, have my jacket."

He took his jacket off and put it over his brother's chest. He wiped some tears away before slamming his back against the back of the chair and staring at the ceiling.

"Do you want to know why I always wear my jacket? Because of my scars. I have scars on my back and arms now, Tadashi, just like you do. If you were here, you would tell me that it was alright. You would make me _feel _alright about them. If you don't come back, I'll spend the rest of my life wearing jackets to cover them. Is that what you want? I know it isn't. You want me to feel alright about them, don't you? So you have to come back. Do you hear me? You _have _to."

Hiro let his head fall on his shoulder and closed his eyes. He started to breathe slowly, and soon he fell asleep.

* * *

_The finish line was right there. He just needed to run a little more. All the other boys where way behind him. He was going to win._

_"Tadashi, look! I'll win!" Hiro shouted as he looked to where Tadashi should be, cheering for him. "Look! I'll..."_

_He wasn't there._

_"Tadashi?"_

_Hiro stopped running and looked all around him. The other boys soon were all running by his side, eventually leaving him behind._

_"Tadashi? Where are you?"_

_The people around him clapped as the boy who had arrived to the finish line first received a medal. Everyone was cheering happily, and nobody seemed to care for Hiro standing in the middle of the speedway as he yelled his brother's name._

_He stopped spinning around when his eyes caught something near the finish line that wasn't there before._

_Tadashi, lying down._

_"Tadashi? Tadashi! Can someone help? Why isn't anyone helping! My brother... Tadashi!"_

_He started to run toward the finish line. People walked around Tadashi's still body as if it was nothing. As Hiro ran, the sun faded away and it started to rain. Soon his shirt was soggy, his wet hair falling over his eyes. He had to reach Tadashi. He had to help him. He had to take him to the hospital._

_Then he started running backwards._

_"What? No! Tadashi!"_

_He tried as hard as he could to run forward again. He watched as Tadashi and the finish line started to fade away, his vision was blurred by the rain and the fog, he felt like his body was being pulled back by chains. Soon he could no longer see Tadashi's body. He kept going backward, the rain kept falling. Tears started to go down his face as he started to sweat._

_"I have to help him!"_

_Hiro fell on the floor. He tried to stand up, but it was useless. He was too weak. It was like his body was now being pulled down against the ground._

_"Tadashi..."_

_The blurred image of Tadashi's lifeless body lying down behind the fog was the last thing Hiro saw before his head fell and he passed out._

* * *

"Ah!"

Hiro looked around him. His heart was beating fast, his hands were sweating. He saw the white walls, the white door behind him and realized he had fallen asleep on the hospital. The first thing he did was to make sure his brother was there, still lying down safely on the bed, still breathing. It took him a moment to realize what had happened.

"A dream. It was just a dream." He said as he let out a relieved sigh. "You wouldn't believe the dream I just had, Tadashi. You were there and people thought you were dead. I mean, I didn't get to properly see you, but somehow I knew you were not dead. It was... It was so terrible. People were ignoring you! I mean, why would they? They thought you were dead and they didn't care."

He sighed as he realized what that dream meant.

"Tadashi... Open your eyes. They say you can't, but I know you can. Please, open your eyes. I beg you. I... I can't go on without you." He pressed his head against Tadashi's chest as he let out hiccups and sobbed. "I'm sorry, Tadashi. I'm sorry I didn't protect you. I was there with you, I could have. You were always there with me, but I..." His eyes were filled with water as he busted out in tears, "I was there! You were always with me when I needed you... Why did you have to go into that fire, you dumbass?! You don't have to be nice the whole time!"

He fell on his knees and covered his eyes with his hands.

"You could be fine now if you hadn't gone there to save him. How did he thank you? With destruction. This is not fair."

Hiro stood up in a jump when he heard someone open the door. He turned around to see the doctor who had been taking care of Tadashi for the last three months. He wiped the tears away and made his best to disguise the fact that he was crying.

"Hi, doc." Hiro said as he forced a smile.

"Hiro", he said, sighing, "I... I have something very serious to tell you."

Hiro's smile faded.

"What is it?"

"Come with me."

The doctor left the room, motioning for Hiro to follow him. The young boy grabbed his things and caressed Tadashi's face before turning around to leave the room.

"I'm not giving up on you." He whispered as he finally closed the door.

* * *

"You're going to KILL HIM?"

"Hiro, there's nothing left to..."

"No! You can't do it! He's _breathing_! His heart is beating! He's alive! You can't... You can't just throw it all away like he was nothing!"

"Hiro..."

"No! No! You can't!" He shook his head as tears started to go down his face and he broke down in front of the doctors and his aunt Cass, "I promised I wouldn't give up on him! What if he resists? We need more time!"

"Hiro..."

Aunt Cass approached him and wrapped her arms around him.

"I'm sad too. I wish we could do something. But we can't go on like this forever. Look at you! You look exhausted. Tadashi's death is killing you. It's killing everyone. We have to let him go."

"He's not dead. Not yet." He said without pulling apart, "He's not dead. We can't give up on him, Aunt Cass. We can't. Please."

"I'm sorry, Hiro." She sighed as all the doctors bowed their heads.

"We're giving you one week to say goodbye, ok?" One of the doctors said as he tapped Hiro's shoulder.

"We can't give up on him... We can't..."

* * *

One week came and passed.

Hiro kept going to the hospital every day. He would wish harder and harder for Tadashi to come back. To open his eyes. To reply him.

Anything.

But it wouldn't happen.

"You can spend these last hours with him," the nurse said as Hiro entered the room, "I'm sorry it has to be this way."

She closed the door and Hiro walked toward his brother.

"Tadashi."

Silence.

"Please."

Hiro gave a step back and shook his head.

"So that's it. You're not coming back."

He went to his brother's side and caressed his hair.

"Tadashi... I'm sorry if I ever did anything to let you down. You protected me that night and... I never showed you what you meant to me. I never told you how much I love you. And now they're going to kill you. I don't know if you can hear me but I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I was never the brother you deserved. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. I'm sorry!"

He started crying so hard his face turned red and his whole body started shaking.

"You said you would always be there for me, but you lied! I... I hate you! I hate you for being so nice and going into that fire to save someone who didn't care for you, and now you're leaving me! You sacrificed yourself for him and now you're leaving someone who loves you!"

Hiro fell on the floor; he couldn't feel any of his limbs for a moment.

"I hope you're ok. I hope that, whenever you go, it's a happy place. And... If you can hear me, please promise me you'll be waiting when I die. Please. I will be too scared if I die and have to face everything by myself. Will you be there?"

He looked up at his brother's bed as he got up to his feet. There was something inside him that kept hoping for a reply that would never come, but he didn't want to lose hope. He wanted to keep going there every single day, waiting for Tadashi to wake up and be alright. It was impossible for him to believe that after that very day, he would never see Tadashi again. All hope would be lost.

He cried a little more as he laid his head on Tadashi's chest, hearing his heartbeat.

_Everything will be alright_, he though in Tadashi's voice, whishing his brother could say that.

"You're going to be ok, Tadashi. Don't worry. You... You'll wake up. I know you will." He said as he stood up and wrapped his arms around Tadashi's neck, "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I love you. You will never wake up, but... I... I'm sorry. They're going to turn the machines off when I leave. I hope it doesn't hurt. I love you so much, Tadashi. Goodbye. Maybe we'll meet again someday."

Hiro was about to release his brother from his embrace when he felt something.

He felt his brother move his head to the right.

_What? , _Hiro thought as he quickly pulled apart.

He saw Tadashi slowly move his head to the right as his closed eyes fluttered a little. The knuckles on his hands quivered.

"Tadashi?"

Hiro started to walk backward in awe. He hit his back against the wall as his right hand searched for the knob. He opened the door in a second and left the room running.

"Aunt Cass! Doctors! I think... You have to come here! Quick!"

* * *

He felt pain.

And not like a simple, everyday pain. He felt like his limbs had been ripped off his body and he had been thrown into hellfire. He wanted to open his eyes, but even his eyelids hurt. He opened his mouth and tried to say something, but couldn't find his voice. He felt like his throat had been cut in half by an axe. He put his tongue out and licked the very bottom of his lips. It was like there was sand on them; for they were so dry they seemed to be cracking.

It was when he heard a muffled sound. He couldn't even recognize what kind of sound it was, but he could tell it was near him.

"Tadashi?" The doctor called, "Can you hear me?"

Soon he identified that sound. Someone was calling him.

Everyone in room gasped when Tadashi Hamada opened his eyes after being in coma for thirty nine days. All that could be seen was his pupils, but it let everyone know he was back. The light hurt his eyes, but he kept them open. He wanted to see what was happening, where he was, who was calling him. He had so many questions, but he felt like his brain had been frozen. His vision was as blurred as it can be. Everything he saw was white, and then a black blur approached.

"Tadashi, can you hear me?"

Tadashi nodded once as slow as it could be before letting his head fall to the right as he fell asleep.

* * *

"Hiro Hamada?"

The young boy stood up in a jump when the doctor entered the waiting room with a clipboard on his hands. He rubbed his hands together as he approached the doctor.

"So?" He asked, hope flashed in his eyes.

"Tadashi woke up. It's early to tell if he's going to be alright, but your brother woke up."

Hiro felt his heart beat in a way it had never done before as he smiled and tears of joy went down his face.

"I knew he would never give up! Can I see him?"

"Sorry, but I don't think it's a good idea. You should go back home, get some rest. We'll call you when he's able to receive you.

"But..."

He bowed his head and sighed.

"I will. Take good care of him."

"Of course we will. Your brother is a miracle."

"I know," Hiro said as he chuckled "he's the biggest miracle ever."

* * *

Tadashi opened his eyes again, but the light didn't hurt him the same way it had done before. He was even able to see the ambience around him. He saw a ceiling and a window. He tried to stand up, only to find out his arms hurt. Not only his arms, but also his neck and his whole body. He moved his head to the left and saw his arm was all wrapped in bandages.

He tried to remember what had happened.

The fire.

The college.

Callaghan.

_Hiro._

He looked around, moving his head in pain to the right.

"Where's Hiro?" He said as he sighed, not sure if anyone could hear him for he couldn't see anybody there.

The nurse who had her back on him as she took care of the machines turned around in shock.

"What did you say? Tadashi, can you hear me?"

"Hiro." He said again, closing his eyes for a long time, "My brother. Hiro."

"Shh, try not to move. You've been through a lot. You're still very weak. But I'm sure your brother is fine. He went home earlier today."

"Hiro. I..."

He closed his eyes again.

"I want to see him. Hiro. I need... To save him..."

The nurse pressed her hand against his forehead.

"Gosh, I think you're hallucinating. Try to get some rest, ok? Your brother is fine. I'll call the doctor."

"Hiro." He repeated as he heard the nurse leaving and closing the door.

* * *

It had been one month now since he had opened his eyes, and only just now Tadashi was starting to show some lucidity again. That morning he woke up and realized he could remember some things that he wasn't sure that had happened for real, like Hiro telling him about a dream. He rubbed his head and sit up, and it took him a while to realize all the machines attached to his body.

"Hello?" He called.

He rubbed his eyes before fully opening them for the first time in months. He wanted to walk away, but he felt so lost. Where was he? What was he doing? For how long was he there?

Where was Hiro?

He remembered about the fire. He remembered he turned around and saw Hiro running toward him. He remembered he shouted for him to go away.

And then it was a blur.

"Hello?" He called again. He didn't know what to expect when someone turned the knob on the door.

"Tadashi?" The nurse said as she approached him, "Are you ok?"

He gulped as he nodded. She examined his face, looking inside his eyes.

"How many fingers do you see?"

"Three?"

"Oh, good, you can talk. And you seem to be lucid. How are you feeling today?"

"Fine."

"From one to ten, how would you rate the pain you're feeling?"

"Six. No, five."

"Five? Well, we have to fix that."

He watched in silence as she handed him a pill and a glass of water. He looked to the objects, unsure.

"Drink it. It'll make you sleep, but the pain will go away. You still need rest after what happened."

"I don't want to rest. Where's my brother? The fire..."

"Psh. Your brother is alright. He dropped by to see you every day for the three months you were in coma."

"Coma? Three months?" He said as he closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Just take the pill. I'll explain later when you wake up again."

Tadashi sighed in defeat. He felt too tired anyway. He lied down again as he took the pill and fell asleep in what felt like one second.

* * *

"Can I see him now?" Hiro asked, jumping in excitement. "Can I? It has been one month! They said he's fine but they wouldn't let me see him!"

"We still don't know how, but your brother woke up. Your brother is fine. Not fine enough to go home, but he's getting better. Hiro, if you had left the room five seconds earlier that day, we would have euthanized your brother. We would like to apologize."

"It's ok. For one moment, I also thought he wasn't going to make it. But can I see him?"

The doctors in front of him looked at each other and smiled before looking at Hiro again and nodding. The guided the boy through a long hallway.

"Try to be calm, ok? Your brother is still very weak."

Hiro sighed and nodded as the doctor opened the door for Hiro to enter the room. Hiro heard the door closing behind him as he stared at his brother. There were way less machines on the room now, Tadashi looked better than the last time, his face was a flushed red contrary to the pale white Hiro had gotten used to on the last few weeks. He was lying down with his eyes shut.

"Tadashi?"

He stood up still and held his breath.

"Hiro..."

The younger one felt his heart beat so fast that he thought it was going to explode. His brother had replied him.

"Tadashi? Are you ok?"

The older one yawned and opened his eyes. He sat up on the bed as he looked at Hiro.

"Hiro, are you ok?"

"T-T-T-Ta-T..."

Hiro couldn't seem to finish his sentence. He gasped as Tadashi reached out for him.

"Are you ok?"

He nodded as he approached Tadashi slowly. When he was finally close enough for Tadashi to touch him, the older one grabbed him by his jacket and brought him closer, wrapping his arms around him.

"If I ever enter a burning building again, _don't _follow me, ok? You were supposed to stay outside. How would I ever be able to live with myself if anything ever happened to you?"

Hiro wrapped his arms around Tadashi and sighed before pulling apart softly.

"I'm sorry that I ever doubted you would survive."

"Hiro... What happened to me?"

Tadashi listened to Hiro's words in shock as his brother told him everything that had happened on the last three months. He was shocked to find out the truth about Callaghan and even more when Hiro told him about the he being a super hero thing. He gulped when he heard that he could have been killed if they had turned off the machines, but smiled when Hiro told him he went there every day and he was the only one who never lost hope on Tadashi.

"Also", Hiro said, walking away from Tadashi, "I have something to show you".

The older one watched, curious, as Hiro took off his jacket and pulled his shirt up. Then he turned around and showed his back to Tadashi. He gasped when he saw the huge markings on his brother's back. They looked like he had been burnt. All Tadashi did was shook his head as Hiro put his clothes back on and sat down on a chair, shrugging.

"How?"

"That night, when the building exploded, you were way too close to the fire. You fell on the floor and you were bleeding a lot. I tried to carry you out, but you were too heavy for me. Then I wrapped my arms around you and turned my back on the fire to keep you safe. The fire was approaching us as it consumed the building, but I refused to leave you alone. If you were going to die, I was going with you."

"What? Don't you realize how dangerous..."

Tadashi trailed off when realization hit him and he sighed as he smiled.

"You did it for me when we were kids and our parents died. It only seemed fair to do the same for you."

"You didn't have to. Really. You could have died."

"I don't care. Well, I felt the fire burn my back as it reached my clothes and I hugged you on the floor. We were soon rescued and they took us here. I was hospitalized for a month, but it was nothing serious because the fire burnt my clothes but barely touched me. Now you... You were in coma for three months. Something to do with the fire and the smoke. They started to say you were never going to come back."

Hiro sobbed as he wiped a tear away.

"And now you're here. I just... I can't believe it. I'm afraid this is all just a dream and when I wake up, you'll be gone. It's... Hard to believe."

Tadashi sighed and reached out for Hiro again. He brought his little brother closer and allowed him to sit on his lap as he caressed his hair.

"This is no dream. I'm here. And I'm never going to leave you alone. Even if I had died, I would still be with you, you heard me? I'm _never_ leaving you alone."

"I know. I always knew it. But... Having you alive is better."

"Agreed."

They stood still, Hiro sitting on Tadashi's lap as they hugged each other. They both had tears on his eyes, but the good kind of tear. The one you shed when you're happy. Hiro felt Tadashi's heart beating inside his chest, and for the first time in months he wasn't laying down. He rubbed his head on Tadashi's chin and sighed again. His brother was back.

And he was never going to leave again.

* * *

**I'm sorry Aunt Cass or Tadashi's friends weren't mentioned. But I really wanted to focus on Tadashi and Hiro. I love their relationship as brothers and I was really sad they didn't have much time to develop that. What better than giving them more time by bringing Tadashi back?**

**I hope you liked it. Please review if you feel like it :) See yah next fic.**


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